Apparatus for manufacturing pneumatic tires.



No. 880,587. 1 PATENTED MAR. 3, 1908. T. SLOPER.

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING PNEUMATIC TIRES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 27,1907. V

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

PATENTED MAR. 3, 1908.

T. SLOPERQ APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING PNEUMATIG TIRES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 27,1907.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

PATENTED MAR. 3, 1908.

T. SLOPER. APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING PNEUMATIC TIRES.

APPLIGATION FILED JUNE 27,1907.

' 4 SHEET$-SHEET 3.

PATENTED MAR. 8, 1908.

T. SLOPER. APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING PNEUMATIC TIRES.

' APPLICATION FILED JUNE 27,1907.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

-W 02f We STATES PATENT onnrcn.

THOMAS sLoP'ER, OF jnnvrzns, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS non mhmacmme rmzonnrrc TI-ans.

T 0 all whom itimay concem:

Beit known-that I, THoMAs'SLbPnR,- a subject of the of England, residing at Devizes, England, have invented certain new and usefulln provements in Apparatus for Manufacturing Pneumatic Tires, of which the 'iollowing-is a specification.

This invention relates to mechanism for manufacturing tires andhas ior its object to provide an improved construction of former whereon the tires may be built =up.j These "torrne'rs. as at present constructed comprise a collapsible annular member have mg a curved working face whereon the tire is built; when the formers are-em loyedior combinationwitha centraldetachablewheellike :memberor core whereby the sections whereof the annulus is composed'areretained in the working position while such central member mayberemovedmxially-for the purpose of-colla sing the annular member.

A'further' eature of this invention consistsin combining with the annular member, (which may-be colla 'sibleas inthe constructions already-reform "l30) one or-moredetachable side rings'and these carry pins around which the tire :fabric isbuilt up. The annular member is preferably divided intoseveral independent sections and these may be se-v cured to 'thecent-ralcore by winged bolts or the likewhi-le the side-rings are preferably secured in place by levers pivoted to the core and adapted to engage cam-piecescarriedon the-rings, so that the-rings may be held against axial displacement.

In the old style of former when the" fabric was completed the pins were with- (-lrawn from thesa-me into the interior of the .i-ormer but according "to the present invention, these pins are so mounted in the former that when the tire fabric is completed theycan be released from the former Specification of Letters Patent.

Applicationfiled June 27" 1'90?- Serial No.- 3815.64-

Patented iiia'rch 3; i908.

and the ,fabric removed with ins therein. This is of great advantageasthe .ahner tires referred to are providedwwi-th rin edges tor the purpose of anchoring the cords,

of which the fabric is.b uiltilp;v to the bead and by means of the present. construdtionrof .former the :pins which are employediin building the fabric are afterwards used :to anchor the cords in the finishedtire. e

The preferred means employed to retain the ;pins in place, consists in-providing an annular slot or groove in. each'side-ringnand also a series of orifices which-communicate therewith so that one end vof ea'oh pin can be entered in the slotwhile aspiring-com trolled plunger is mounted inaconrespond ing orifice and made to bear :against the pin for thewpurpose of retaining it in position. The pins are thus held by friction .in the former? so that when it is required to remove them from-the same they need only to be .Lpulled forward out of the slot.

Preferably the collapsible annular-memher is recessed -to receive-each ring and one face oflthe. recess is made to 'overha-ng the slot wherein the pins are entered in the ring.

By this means the annular member may-be made to lock the-pins in position while the ring is inlace but when. the latter is moved axially or aterallyout of the recess they. can -'be Withdrawn ;as already stated.

in the accompanying drawings: Figure 7 1 is a side elevation of a former constructed according to this invention, Fig.2:is .a trans-1 verse section :onithe line2-+2 "of ..1

with the side-rings and their levers. detached, 3 is "8860131011 through -Figpil Ion the hne -33 but on a. larger scale, Fig. 4.-li s a perspective view of part. of. one of the siderings, 5 is a zperspective views ofoneof the camwpieces with which the side-rings are 7 provided, Fig. Gisa perspective view of one ofthe'double-pins or staples :employed,;-Fig.-

7 -is=a transverse section through al'modified form of Side-fl- Fig. 8. is' a front elevation of; the same an 9' shows :in: perspective the form. ofdoublei-pin or staple employed with the ring-shown insFig 7.

Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings. v

' The collaps'ble I annular member A may be of metal such as aluminium audits for convenience made hollow as shcwnzin Figs. 2 and 3. This memberz cornprises' fourindependent sections marked -L, ;2,3rand.4 respectively, and; the sections are retained in place by a central wheel-like member or core B having spokes B and a hub 13*. The periphery of the core B is made to fit within the annular member A and on one edge is a flange orrib B which fits in a corresponding recess in the annular member and limits the relative axial movement of the two parts in one direction. The independent sections of the annular member can thus be readily placed in position on the core where they are secured by winged bolts A which pass throu h the rim of the core and enter screwthreadedsockets in the annular member,

The outer face A? of the annular member is shaped approximately to the form it is de sired the tire shall assume when it is finished and this part constitutes the working face of the former, that is the face whereon the cords or threads of the the fabric are laid. At each edge of the working face of the former is a series of pins C and these are carried by detachable siderings D. Each of the side-rin sis endless and is shaped to fit in a recess 3 in the side of the former. The side-rings are thus centered by the recesses A which receive them and they are retained against axial displacement by levers E pivoted to the spokes B of the core and engaging cam-pieces D rigidly secured to the rings D. Each ring preferably carries four camieces, and each cam-piece comprises a b ock D having in its face a .cam slot or oove D The ringsare made to bed against the recessed portions ofthe annular member and also against the sides of the central core so that when the levers are entered in the cam-grooves D and moved towards those ends of the grooves which lie furthest from the core, the rings are forcibly drawn against the annular member and core and thereby retainedagainst axial displacement;

Each ring has in its edge an annular slot or groove 1) and communicating with this'are a number of transverse orifices D The orifices I)? extend from the outer face of the ring to the grooveD and in each orifice a plunger,

I in-the form of aball F is placed. Each ball is'retained in 'place by an L-shaped s ring F one end of which iscarried in an ori ce or orifices 'D inthe ring while the other end bears against the ball. The springs are convenient y made-ofloo ed wire, the loo ed portion eing made to ear against the all While the free ends are inserted each in a separate orifice IDS. The orifices'D are disposed in a line parallel with the orifices D and communicate on the inner side of the ring with an annular. recess 1). The ends of the springs E enter the groove D and are turned up or burred so that the s rings are retained in place while they mayi required be readily removed from the ring.

The pins 0 are in the form of L-shaped loops or staples, (see Fig. 6) and the looped portion of each pin is entered in the slot or peripheral edge of the mug and this latter is notched as at D so that the two limbs of the staple may lie in corresponding notches whereby displacement in the circumferential direction of the ring is prevented. The staples are mounted in the rings before these are applied to the former and when the rings are applied, that portion of each staple which en ages the ring lies under the overhanging face A of the annular member A whereby the staples are prevented from being withdrawn from the slots D apart from the fact that they arefrictionally held therein by the plungers F.

It will be seen that the loo ed end of the staples bearing against the p unger renders the fastening more secure than would be the case if the plunger were made merely to bear against the limbs. .The parts are now in position for constructing the tire-fabric by aying cords on the former and buildingthem around the free ends of the pins C; This may be done by any convenient means and in the earlier specification Serial No.

331,415 granted to Robert Sloper and myself, a machine is described for this purpose. Accordin this speci cation, the former is automatically rotated by escapement mechanism and where such mechanism is used, the teeth therefor may be provided on the rings D as shown at D.

to the mechanism described in.

When the fabric has been built up, the v i levers E are swung about their pivots so that by means of the cams D the rings D are forced axially or laterally out from the recess A of the annular member. The pins or staples C are thus carried clear'of the annular'member and can now be withdrawn from the roove D of each ring whereby the rings are etached from the fabric and can be removed. The winged bolts Abare now released and the core B B is withdrawn laterally or axially from the collapsible annular member A. The'section 4 of the annular member is then withdrawn by moving it towards the center of the member whereupon all sections are released and can be taken out from the fabric or cover which has been built thereon.

The sta les instead of being L-shaped as differently constructed as shown at H, Figs.

7 and S. The ring H is composed of two parts, one art H being'of L-shaped crosssection whi e the other part I-P'has in it aseries of radial] disposed pockets H 'Between the poc ets are aseries of radial projections orteeth H which are spaced apart a distance equal to the-width of the staples G;

The part H of the ring lies within the part H and one side of the latter extends over the p'eri heral edge of the part H so that it closes mit e spaces or recesses formed by the projections H. The recesses thus constitutea divided annular slot or groove H in the side face of the member H into which the looped ends of the staples G can be entered A plunger in the form of a ball G -is mountedin each pocket H and also -a spring G is mounted therein to keep the plunger at that end of the pocket remote from the center of the former. The sta'les G are entered opposite the plungers, so t at one plun er engages each staple as before, but with t is arrangement the annular member A. does not assist in retaining the staples in position. The rings H maybe suitably .sha ed to re ceive cam-pieces such as-D and t e formers and core may be recessed to receive the rings so that theouter face of each ring lies ap roximately flush with the face of the annu ar member as will be readily understood. 1

Obviously the levers E may be made to carry cam-pieces if desired which may engage pins on the rings D. It will be understood that although the pins have been described as mounted in detachable side-rings these may, where convenient, be mounted direct in the annular member A. This particularly ap lies to the straight form of staple shown in ig. 9 as the grooves H could be provided in the annular member and pockets correspending to the pockets H could be made in t e-same on the inner side of the groove to rev 'ceive the lungers and their controllingsprings.

hether ii-shaped or. other-staples are employed the dplungers maybe dispensed with if desired an the springs shaped to bear direct-upon the pins to hold them In lace.

Although the annular member has een described as com osed of independent sections,

it will be -un erstood t at these may be hinged together if desired I hile the core B B is still employed therewith, nor would this-arwith the use of the rings Manifestly' the details of construction above described can be varied without departing. from the spirit of the invention; one of these detail alterations wouldbeto employ ey are held former without disturbing their relation ,to the fabric, substantially as set forth.

,2. Ina former employed in build' up a tire fabric and'having an annular wor ing face for thetire-fabr'ic, means for securing to the.former a plurality of,anchoring devices for the fabric situated in proximity to the edgesof the working face, in such a-manher that they may belreleased from the 'former without disturbing their relation; to the-fabric, substantially as set forth. 3. In a former employed in building up a tire fabric the combination of, a member providing an annular working face for the. tire fabric, a side-ringfor such-member carry ing a plurality of anchoring devices for t e" abric, and means for detachabl' seem ing the side ring to the member-a oresaid, substantiall as set forth. '85 4. Ina ormer employed in'building up a the fabric the combination of, a" member 4 providing an annular working face for the tire fabric, a side-ring for such: member, I means for detachably. securing the side-ring to the member, and means for securing a pluralityof anchoring devices for the fabric to the side-ring, such a manner'that they may be released from the side-rin without disturbing their relation to'theffa ric, substantially asset forth.

5. In a former employed in building up a tire fabric" the combination of, --a Imember providing an annular working face'for the tire fabric, a side-ring :forjsuch member, means for securing the side ring to-the mem- 'ber, means for moving theside ringiaterally or in an axial direction relatively to the working-face of the member, and =means 'for se curing aplurality of anchoring' devices for the "fabric to such side-rin -in such a manner that they maybe release from the side-ring without disturbing their relation "to the fabric, substantially as set forth.

5 I gy former employed inbuilding up 1 a tire fabric the cbmbinat on of, .an annular member providing an annularworkingface for the tire fabric, side-rings for such mem- "ber, means for securing the side-rings one at each side of theannular member, means for moving the side-riggs laterally or in an axial direction relatively to the annular member, and. means for securing a plurality of anchoring devices for the fabric to each ofthe side rings, insucha manner that 'theyk'may be re nected with the member aforesaid the wedg- .ing device being so arranged that when operated'it forces the ring laterally-or in the direction of the axis of the annular working face away from the former, and means for securing a plurality of anchoring. devices for the fabric to-the side-ring, in such a manner that they inay be released from the side-ring without disturbing their relation to the fabric, substantially 'as set forth.

8. In a former-em loyed in building up.

a tire fabric the com ination of, a main member providing an annular Working face for the tire fabric, a side-ring, a doubleactin cam-device and a cooperating part there or one of these elements being carried by the ring and the other being connected with the main member the cam-device being so arranged that when relative movement between it and its cooperating part takes place in one direction the ring is moved laterally' towards and held in place upon the main member but'when such movement takes 1 place in the-reverse sense the ring is moved aterally away from. the main member, and means for securing a plurality of anchoring devices for the fabric to the side-ring, in such a manner that they may be released from the side-ring without disturbing their relation to the fabric, substantially as set forth. v

9. In a former. em loyed in building up a tire fabric the com inationof, a main member providing an annular working face for the tire fabric, a side-ring," a doubleactin cam device and a' cooperating part there or, one of these elements being rigidly secured to the ring and.- the other being pivotally connected with the main member, the cam device being so arranged that when relative movement between it and its cooperl stantiall ating part takes place in one direction the,

' to receive and hold frictionally in place a plurality of anchoring devices for the fabric,

substantially as set forth.

11'. The combination with, a former employed in building u a tire fabric of a plurality of spring-contro led detents cooperating'with a fixed part of the former and adapted to receive and retain in place a pluralit -of anchoring devices between them and suc fixed part, substantially as set forth.

12. The combination with, a former employed in building up a tire fabric of a plurahty of spring-controlled detents cooperating with a fixed part of the former and adapted to en agebetween them and such fixed part a plurality of anchoring devices for the fabric, each device having in it a recess to receive the operativeend of a detent, substantially as described.

- 13. The combination with, a former employed in building u a tire fabric of a plurality of spring-contro led detents cooperating with a fixe part of the. .former and adapted to receive a plurality of anchoring devices each of which has a looped end that can be'entered beneath a detent and such fixed part so thatthe detent retains it in place, substantially as set forth.

14. The combination with, a former employed in building up a tire fabric and having in it a recess or slot into which'the ends of a pluralit of anchoring devices may be entered, of a urality of spring-controlled detents dis ose transversely to the slot and urged by-t eir springs towards one wall of the same, and means to hold the anchoring devices against. lateral displacement within the slot and to aline each device with'a detent so that the latter retains it in place, sub stantially as set forth.

15. In a former employed in building up a tire fabric the combination of a main member providing an annular working face for the tire-fabric, a side-ring detachably secured to the main member and having in it a recess or slot into which the ends of a plurality of anchoring devices ma be entered, a

plurality of spring-controlled etents carried by the ring and disposed transversely to the slot and urged by their springs towards one wall of ,the same, and means to hold the anchorin' devices against lateral dis lacement wit in the slot and to aline each with a detent so that the latter retains it in place, substantially as set forth.

16. In a former employed in building eviceup a tire fabric the combination of a main I member providing an annular working face for the tire fabric, a side-ring detachably secured to the main member having a groove in its outer periphery, a plurality of springcontrolleddetents mounted in orifices (D which. traverse the side rin from one of its side faces to the groove re erred t0, the detents bein urged .b their springs towards the opposed ace oft e groove and arranged each to engage one end of an L-shaped anchoring device (C), and means to prevent lateral displacement of the Lshaped anchorin, devices substantially as set forth.

17. n a former employed in building up a tire fabric .the combination of, a main member providing an annular working face for the tire fabric and recessed on one side, a side-ring adapted to lie within the aforesaid recess and having a groove inits outer periphery, a series of spring-controlled detents mounted in orifices (D which traverse the side-ring from one of its side faces to the groove referred to, the detentsbeing urged by theirsprings t0 the opposed face of the groove and arranged each to engage one end of an L-shaped anchoring device (C)'those ends of the L-shaped anchoring devices which are not engaged by the detents being directed away from the main member so that they lie partly within the recess wherein the ring is received, and means to retain the anchoring devices against lateral displacement, substantially as set forth.

18. In a former" employed in building up a tire fabric the combination of a main member providing an annular Working face for'the tire fabric, a side ring having a groove'in its outer periphery, means for detachably securing the side-ring to the main member, a series of detents mounted in orifices (D which traverse the side-ring from one of its side faces to the aforesaid groove therein, and an L-sha'ped spring (F for each detent one element of which lies in an orifice in the ring While the other element bears'against the outer end of the detent, the detents being arranged to engage a plurality of anchoring devices whose ends are entered in the groove of the ring, substantially as set forth.

19. In a former employed in building up a tire fabric the combination of, an annular member formed in sections and roviding a working face for the tire fabrlc, a detachable core shaped to enter the annular member and retain the sections against movement towards the center of the member, and means for securing to the former a plurality of anchoring devices for the fabric, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of .two subscribing Witnesses.

THOMAS SLOPER.

Witnesses:

H. D. JAMESON, 'F. S. RAND. 

